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Casino preps for Wednesday preview event

Workers at Ohio's fourth and last voter-approved casino are gearing up for the $400 million facility's opening in less than one week.

The Horseshoe Cincinnati Casino opened its doors to reporters Tuesday for a first look since a hard-hat tour of construction months ago.

Cocktail servers carried around drinks, dealers practiced taking chips and doling out winnings and cleaning staff made finishing touches. In one room, dealers sat down at a table and played a hand for the cameras.

"Bring the dice in! What are you waiting for?" yelled a supervisor at a craps table where dealers took turns pretending to gamble and testing themselves. They mimicked what a real craps table will be like, with clapping, cheers of "Woo hoo!" and plenty of shouting.

The workers also were preparing for a dry run of the sleek two-story, 400,000-square-foot casino on Wednesday, when about 30 agents with the Ohio Casino Control Commission will be on the lookout for problems big and small.

While the casino already has its gambling license, it must pass the commission's test on Wednesday in order to open to the public on Monday.

If all the issues are minor, the casino would get the go-ahead by the end of the week. If any major operational problems arise, the opening could be delayed.

"Think of it as a dress rehearsal," said Matt Schuler, executive director of the commission. "It's an opportunity for the casino and its employees to show they can do everything by the book - security, surveillance, all financial transactions, the movement of the money from the floor to the count room. We will watch everything."

Casinos in Cleveland, Toledo and Columbus all opened last year on time after their dry runs.

The invite-only dry run is for family, friends and business partners of the casino's staff, and is closed to members of the media and general public. They'll be gambling at the casino's 2,000 slot machines and 87 table games, with all proceeds going to charity.

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